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eru 10 months ago

Well, even if the city doesn't re-use the water, it doesn't just disappear.

bayindirh 10 months ago | parent [-]

Yeah, but getting rid of chemicals and returning it to a non-poisonous state for the nature is a big plus.

You can't dump everything to the soil and say "that's your problem now, nature. Cope!".

toast0 10 months ago | parent | next [-]

Assuming you use the same amount of soap and what nots, and get the same amount of dirt and debris off your body, the more water you use during a shower, the easier it is to process the water at your sewage treatment plant, if your waste water is treated.

If your waste water isn't treated, and is discharged to water ways as-is, the more water you use, the more dilute your pollution.

If you've got a septic system, I dunno? Probably doesn't help, but if your system is well sized, no big deal? Some of your outflow probably recharges aquifers, so it's kind of circular (although a lot of the outflow evaporates, so less directly circular there)

eru 10 months ago | parent [-]

> [...] the easier it is to process the water at your sewage treatment plant, if your waste water is treated.

It's easier to process per litre, but it is easier to process in absolute numbers?

toast0 10 months ago | parent [-]

Part of processing is often adding clean water; to the extent that you've already done it upstream, the treatment plant can add less.

eru 9 months ago | parent [-]

Maybe. Though when you add clean water upstream that usually means water clean enough to be fit for drinking (because that what comes out of your tap.)

When they dilute at the treatment plant, they can use somewhat dirtier clean water.

eru 10 months ago | parent | prev | next [-]

Yes, I mean when you are 'wasting water' you are mostly wasting the effort it takes to clean the water. Not the water itself.

As opposed to eg 'wasting petrol', where the petrol really is gone afterwards. At least it has been chemically transformed.

shepherdjerred 10 months ago | parent | prev [-]

> You can't dump everything to the soil and say "that's your problem now, nature. Cope!".

Nature couldn't care less. Nature works on much larger timescales than humans. It's the humans that are impacted.

Just like climate change, plastic, and all other environmental issues -- humans are paying (or will pay) the price, not nature.

eru 10 months ago | parent [-]

It depends on what you mean by 'nature'. On a large enough scale, 'nature' doesn't care whether earth is hit by a moon sized asteroid, either.

shepherdjerred 10 months ago | parent [-]

I think we’re in agreement :)